STUNG (Dark Erotic Romance) by Alana Marlowe Page B

her that way. Is it love? Or is it lust or something else? She feels her insides turn mushy as her feelings overpower her, making her want to melt into him.
     
    “I love you, darling, ” he says, and then pulls her head onto his shoulder.
     
    “I love you, too.”
     
    “I want to ask you to stop working for a while.” Alex reminded her as she petted her head and laced his fingers through her long red hair. “I know you may be worried about things working out for us, but I think that we can work through any issues we have. But I also want a wife who isn’t worried about making money. That is my job and I can manage that. I want to take care of you. Like a man should.”
     
    Sara smiled at the thought of not having to be worried about money. She didn’t really know how much he had, but he seemed to be doing pretty good. However, the idea of not working still was hard for her to comprehend. She had worked all her life, starting at 16 and managed to have her own place at 18. So not working has never been an option for her. It had so much appeal. The thought of just taking care of him, being able to spend time learning to cook and do crafty things was what she had always wanted.
     
    “Wives shouldn’t have to work.” He said with quiet emphasis. “Once we are married, I don’t really want you to work at all, unless it is something we both agree upon. But while you are here, I want you to promise me you will put working on the back burner and not do anything until you have made your final decision on if you want to live the rest of your life with me. Can you promise me that?” Alex asked, as if he already knew the answer, but needed Sara to agree.
     
    “Yes, I promise. I won’t work while I am here. But what am I supposed to do with my time?”
     
    “If there is anything you want to do, cooking, crafts, or anything else, all you have to do is run into town and get what you need. I will give you my credit card to get any supplies or food if you want to experiment with things. I will provide everything you want, Sara.” His voice was soothing and comforting.
     
    Sara closed her eyes and could feel his heartbeat as her head still lay on his chest. The amount of contentment she felt at the moment could not be described. She tried to think of a time where she had felt as safe and secure as she did right then. This was the first.
     
    “Alex?” she asked softly, “I know we have never talked about money. But I feel that if I am planning on marrying someone who insists that I don’t work, I should at least know what kind of financial stability he has.” She spoke freely about what she was thinking.
     
    Alex chuckled. “I understand why you would ask. Believe me, money is not something you will need to be worried about.”
     
    “But I don’t know what you make or how you make it. What if something happened to you? I don’t want to be caught in a situation where I have no income if something happens to you.” She said in a choked voice.
     
    Alex pulled her in tight.
     
    “Baby, nothing is going to happen to me any time soon. But I understand your concern. If you can be patient, I think you will soon see that I will make sure you are taken care of for the rest of your life. I promise. And I keep my promises.” He said confidently. “Tomorrow night, I think you will see things a little differently.”
     
    “Tomorrow night?”
     
    “Yes. We are going to meet my parents for dinner.”
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Meet The Parents
     
    Sara stood in the bathroom mirror trying to get her hair all in its proper place. She wished sometimes that she had cut her hair really short so she wouldn’t have to figure out how to keep her long tresses looking good. But she knew that most men loved long hair on a woman. Alex especially did.
     
    Her makeup was subtle and not overstated. She wanted to look attractive but not like a slut. She still didn’t know what she was going to wear just